Unmasking the Tithe Trap: Exposing Manipulation in Modern Preaching

How Pastor Mark Martin’s Sermon Twists Scripture for Profit

Sergio DeSoto

Feb 28, 2025

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Truth demands both rational precision and spiritual fidelity. When a sermon twists scripture for profit, we must dissect it with unflinching clarity. Pastor Mark Martin’s recent message at Calvary Community Church exemplifies this danger: a polished appeal shifting from grace (Titus 3) to a 10% tithe (Malachi 3), promising blessings for compliance. Beneath its pastoral sheen lies a manipulative agenda—subjection to extract money. My goal isn’t subtlety but exposure, dismantling this teaching to shield believers from its distortion.

Pastor Mark implicitly rejects the Torah’s ongoing authority (00:37:21), yet leverages its tithing law to boost church income—a hypocrisy churches often exploit. He boasts that the Manna Ministry hit a $1 million milestone (00:06:40), a feel-good claim meant to inspire generosity. Yet, Calvary’s published annual reports show zero dollar amounts for total income or any other effort, including salaries and such, and their Form 990s—required IRS filings for nonprofit transparency—remain unavailable. This discrepancy underscores the stakes: transparency is a mirage when it masks intent.

Through sound logic and a Messianic lens, where Yeshua did not abolish the law but lived it to its fullest as our example (Matthew 5:17-18), I’ll unravel this contradiction, test its claims, and call you to reclaim authentic generosity. Scripture demands it: “Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

The Agenda: A Calculated Arc for the Layman

Pastor Mark’s sermon unfolds with a clear arc, crafted for the layperson: from the unmerited grace of salvation (Titus 3:4-8) to the tangible act of financial giving. He begins with grace—“not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy”—and highlights the Manna Ministry’s million-dollar mark, a relatable win to build trust. Then, the pivot: good works morph into a concrete call to tithe 10% (00:50:47), made plain for the average listener. Fear (“scary times,” 00:15:23), guilt (“leftovers,” 00:28:49), and greed (“blessings,” 00:35:24) propel the message, reinforced by stories like tuition paid (00:44:19).

Logically, this rests on a premise: tithing unlocks divine favor. Yet, Pastor Mark undercuts himself. At 00:37:21, he dismisses Old Covenant relevance—“That’s not for today”—signaling Torah’s obsolescence. If so, why enforce its tithe (Leviticus 27:30)? This isn’t confusion; it’s calculation. Churches often jettison Torah’s weight—sabbaths, sacrifices—yet cling to tithing as a cash flow engine. Annual reports may show Calvary’s various accomplishments, but Pastor Mark’s “light bill over 30 grand” (00:49:13) reveals the goal: not faith, but funds. He rejects the law’s rule, then wields its rod—a contradiction laid bare by scripture and reason.

Exodus 25 v1 Adonai said to Moshe, 2 “Tell the people of Isra’el to take up a collection for me—accept a contribution from anyone who wholeheartedly wants to give..

Scripture Tested: Misuse

Pastor Mark reshapes verses to fit his fundraising frame. Each falters under scrutiny.

Titus 3:4-8 – Grace Misapplied

His Use: Grace saves, but giving proves it (00:04:26).
Context: Paul calls for ethical living—kindness, obedience (Titus 3:1-2)—not financial dues.
Messianic Lens: Yeshua’s atonement frees us from works (Romans 5:1); love drives action (Galatians 5:6).
Logic: Linking “good works” to tithing is a non-sequitur—no textual basis exists.
Verdict: He turns grace into a ledger, sidelining Torah’s end.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 – Rewards Misaligned

His Use: Faithfulness earns crowns, hinting giving qualifies (00:10:11).
Context: Paul judges ministry impact—teaching, building (1 Corinthians 3:10)—not donations.
Messianic Lens: Yeshua rewards motives (Revelation 22:12), not percentages.
Logic: Implying tithing secures rewards is argumentum ad ignorantiam—unproven by the text.
Verdict: A speculative leap, not Paul’s point.

Proverbs 3:9-12 – Discipline Misconstrued

His Use: Tithe, or financial stress is God’s reproof (00:24:19).
Context: Solomon advises honoring God with crops; discipline (v. 11) isn’t tithe-linked.
Messianic Lens: Yeshua, the first fruit (1 Corinthians 15:23), fulfills this (Hebrews 10:10).
Logic: Causation (tithe = blessing; withhold = curse) is a post hoc assumption—no evidence connects them.
Verdict: He crafts a Torah-like threat, despite denying its force.

Malachi 3:10-11 – Torah Exploited

His Use: Test God with 10% for blessings (00:35:24), minimizing its Old Covenant root (00:37:21).
Context: Israel’s tithe fed Levites (Numbers 18:21); blessings were national (Malachi 3:12).
Messianic Lens: Yeshua’s priesthood ends Levi’s (Hebrews 7:12); giving aids the gospel (Philippians 4:15).
Logic: Universalizing a dead law is incoherent—reductio ad absurdum. If Torah’s void, so is its tithe.
Verdict: He plunders a promise past its term.

Luke 12:34 / Matthew 6:20-21 – Treasure Redirected

His Use: Church giving builds heavenly treasure (00:45:25).
Context: Jesus urges holistic devotion—almsgiving, sacrifice (Matthew 6:1-4)—not dues.
Messianic Lens: Treasure is Yeshua (Colossians 2:3), not budgets.
Logic: Narrowing “treasure” to church funds is petitio principii—assumed, not shown.
Verdict: He reroutes a kingdom call to a cash box.

Logical Flaws: A Contradictory Core

Pastor Mark’s reasoning unravels under analysis. He commits a self-contradiction: rejecting Torah (00:37:21) while enforcing its tithe. If the law’s defunct, tithing isn’t exempt—exceptio probat regulam fails. His post hoc tales (tithing brought tuition, 00:44:19) lack causal proof; faithful tithers often struggle, disproving the link. Guilt ploys—“leftovers” (00:28:49), fry-shaming (00:51:48)—are ad misericordiam, manipulating emotion, not reason.

Scripture exposes the sham. Yeshua rebuked tithing’s legalism (Matthew 23:23), praising a widow’s heart, not her sum (Mark 12:42-44). Paul taught giving “not under compulsion” (2 Corinthians 9:7), not Torah’s 10%. Pastor Mark’s “10% baseline” (00:50:47) is baseless; Abraham’s tithe (Genesis 14:20), cited at 00:35:54, was voluntary, pre-Torah. The law’s tithe sustained priests; its end (Hebrews 8:13) is clear.

The Root: Greed’s Cynical Ploy

Pastor Mark’s sermon is a financial play, not a spiritual one. He denies Torah’s sway (00:37:21), yet milks its tithe—$30,000 bills (00:49:13) and $1 million boasts (00:06:40) reveal the game. Annual reports may track Calvary’s finances, but transparency doesn’t cleanse motive. His “no ulterior motive” (00:53:22) crumbles when he mocks $5 givers (00:51:48). Churches often wield this tactic: ditch Torah’s yoke, keep its yield. Tithing, a Levitical tax, now bankrolls modern agendas, not God’s kingdom. Yeshua flipped tables over such greed (Matthew 21:12-13); Pastor Mark passes the plate.

Counterargument: “Abraham tithed before Torah.” Response: It was a one-off, not a rule; Torah formalized it, Yeshua ended it (Romans 6:14). Another: “Giving funds ministry.” Valid—but not via deceit or quotas (Acts 20:35). Calvary’s reports don’t justify twisting scripture.

A Call to Action: Reject, Reclaim, Reason

Pastor Mark’s teaching is a fraud—he dismisses Torah yet shackles you with its tithe, misusing God’s Word for gain. Reject it. Don’t bow to fear (“discipline,” 00:24:19), guilt (“leftovers,” 00:28:49), or greed (“blessings,” 00:35:24). Test his claims: Torah’s tithe is obsolete (Hebrews 7:18); Yeshua’s grace prevails (Matthew 11:30).

Reclaim giving’s soul. Give as the Spirit leads—to the gospel, the poor, the broken (Galatians 6:10)—not a pastor’s purse. Reason through scripture: “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8)—no percentages, no pressure, just joy. Study, pray, discern—guard your faith and freedom.

Final Stand

Pastor Mark Martin’s sermon is a cynical bait-and-switch: reject Torah, wield its whip, reap the cash. Churches bank on this ruse, but logic and scripture shred it. Yeshua’s grace frees us to give, not pay. My heart is not to hurt anyone, but we must stand for truth and call out what the average churchgoer often misses—manipulative ploys dressed as piety. Giving is a heart issue, not a tax; it belongs to the real church, a body alive in love and service, not a business demanding dues (see Reexamining the Modern Church: A Call to Return to Our First Love). Stand firm—ditch this tithe trap, embrace true generosity. The truth endures (John 8:32); let’s live it.